Carolina Panthers Fire GM Dave Gettleman

Why now?

David Gettleman has always operated with a somewhat cold nature, getting rid of Panther stars such as Steve Smith, Julius Peppers, DeAngelo Williams, and infamously, Josh Norman. Most of these moves have panned out, except for, arguably, the Josh Norman rescinded franchise tag. While the results on the field have generally panned out for the Panthers, it is likely that these moves did not settle well with the Panthers’ owner, Jerry Richardson, who has wanted the Panthers to be a family-like organization. Gettleman’s style likely made him less favorable in the eyes of Jerry Richardson over time, especially after the Josh Norman fiasco. After recent requests from Panthers stars and fan favorites Greg Olsen and Thomas Davis for contract extensions, it is likely that negotiations with Gettleman followed a similar path as they had with aging stars in the past. This was likely the last straw for Jerry Richardson, with the threat of a training camp holdout from Olsen and Richardson’s personal relationship with Thomas Davis on the line. This is all LIKELY what led to the termination of Dave Gettleman from the Panthers’ organization by Jerry Richardson Monday morning.

Gettleman’s Legacy

David Gettleman was fired Monday morning. Gettleman had been the Carolina Panthers’ GM for the past 4 seasons. Gettleman posted an impressive overall record of 40-23-1, leading the Panthers to an NFC South first 3 straight division titles and a stunning 15-1 2015 regular season, preceding an appearance in Superbowl 50. Gettleman’s biggest accomplishments with the Panthers were drafting pro-bowlers Trai Turner and Kawann Short, rising star Shaq Thompson, and Pro Football Focus’ top graded rookie CB in 2016: James Bradberry.*